Thursday July 13th is French Fry Day

History of the French Fry

French Fries are one of many foods whose name is most misleading, as the origins of this fat fried food seem to be in Belgium. The story of their creation can be found in a family manuscript dated 1781, which reveals that potatoes were originally cut into the shape of fish and served in lieu of the fish normally caught in a series of small villages in Belgium.It seems the river had frozen over and the fish they normally caught and fried were unable to be caught.

Why they’re called French is often attributed to troops coming over during World War I who got their hands on Belgian Fries.The official language of the Belgian army at that time was French, and as a result the men thought they were in France rather than Belgium.Interestingly, in that region of the world, they are still called “Flemish Fries” to further complicate matters.Now these treats are loved the world round, even becoming the ‘national snack’ of the Netherlands.

How to Celebrate French Fries Day

With the popularity of French Fry, it’s not surprising that the world has come up with as many different varieties of this delicious food as you could imagine.So one of the best ways to celebrate French Fries Day is to host a party dedicated to celebrating the international menu the fried potato has created.The simplest variation is simply to put chopped raw onions in some ketchup, and eat them up like they do in the Netherlands.For the more adventurous, try some of the varieties below!